Chapter 83: "Double Yolk"

As the moment to announce the Best Male Singer drew near, the atmosphere at the venue became increasingly tense. Simultaneously, the live broadcast viewership soared to a staggering seventeen million, shattering the previous record of fifteen million and once again setting a new peak for award show audiences across the internet.

The organizers could hardly contain their joy. They had never imagined that a music awards ceremony could attract such unprecedented numbers. This was a feat never before achieved—breaking their own record with their own hands. As for how the others felt, who could say? But the hosts were undoubtedly over the moon, knowing they had made a fortune with this event.

After steadying his emotions, Ning Wei prepared to announce the winner of Best Male Singer. No matter what, the moment of truth had arrived.

"I hereby announce the winner of the Chinese Golden Melody Award for Best Male Singer..."

As Ning Wei spoke, he slowly turned to the side of the envelope bearing the winner's name, almost fearing that the name he saw would not match his expectations. Yet, however slowly he moved, he would have to face the outcome eventually.

The moment Ning Wei glimpsed the first character of the name inside the envelope, his entire demeanor fell into disappointment. The first character was "Chen," and since there was only one nominee with that surname—Chen Wenhua—the result was self-evident.

"I announce that the winner of this year's Chinese Golden Melody Award for Best Male Singer is Chen Wenhua..."

Upon hearing these words from Lin Wei, the guests at the scene had mixed reactions—some rejoiced while others were crestfallen. This was natural; after all, each singer represented a group, and when their representative won the top prize, there were always vested interests at stake.

Moreover, many people did not wish for Zhou Ran to win. If Zhou Ran, a newcomer who had debuted less than a year ago, were to claim Best Male Singer, it would be a stinging blow to the veterans. How could they hold their heads high if such a rookie bested them all?

Sometimes, standing out as the brightest in the industry is not an advantage. While it brings ample resources, it also attracts resentment in equal measure.

Watching from his screen, Zhang Xiaofeng’s expression changed upon hearing Ning Wei read out Chen Wenhua’s name. He felt the disappointment more keenly than Zhou Ran himself and was about to type a lengthy message to console Zhou Ran when Ning Wei suddenly mentioned there were two more characters. Hope flickered anew in Zhang Xiaofeng’s heart—perhaps there was still a chance.

This turn came because, just as Ning Wei was about to finish the announcement, he noticed a few more words trailing after Chen Wenhua’s name.

Ning Wei’s spirits lifted again, just like Zhang Xiaofeng’s. There was hope yet—one final chance to salvage the moment.

"I announce that the winners of this year’s Chinese Golden Melody Award for Best Male Singer are Chen Wenhua and Zhou Ran."

This bombshell twist sent the audience and those watching online on an emotional rollercoaster. Some who had been elated moments before plummeted into disappointment, while others shot from despair to ecstatic surprise.

Sitting among the audience, Zhou Ran felt his heart skip a beat from the director's dramatic reveal—it was almost too much to handle. When he first heard Chen Wenhua’s name, Zhou Ran was filled with loss and regret, already preparing to comfort himself and vow to try again next year. But then, hearing his own name announced, hope blazed anew, and all he could think was: “Help me up, I can fight another round.”

Ning Wei’s direction delivered an impeccable show effect, though it was nerve-wracking for the participants—so much so that some in the audience nearly suffered a heart attack from the suspense.

The organizers had deliberated long and hard before settling on a double winner. Based on Zhou Ran’s performance this year, he was entirely deserving of the Best Male Singer award—every one of his songs was of such quality that each could serve as a title track.

Furthermore, Zhou Ran’s recent achievements were stellar. He had dominated the music charts for an entire month, currently holding the top three positions. Experts predicted that his reign atop the charts could last another three or four months, unless a song of even higher quality emerged. Otherwise, his dominance might extend even longer.

Yet, Zhou Ran’s lack of seniority was a concern—it would spark controversy if the award went solely to him. The organizers debated this point for weeks, ultimately deciding on a double winner only after receiving guidance from a respected figure. This way, their decision could be reasonably justified.

It was not an easy choice for the organizers, especially since Chen Wenhua had also performed excellently this year. Without Zhou Ran in the picture, the award would surely have gone to Chen Wenhua.

Meanwhile, the internet was already in an uproar over the announcement of the Best Male Singer award at the Chinese Golden Melody Awards, even though only a minute or two had passed since the results were revealed.

This was the first time in the history of the Chinese Golden Melody Awards that there had been a tie for Best Male Singer. No one had anticipated such an outcome.

Many studios had prepared their press releases in advance. Upon hearing Chen Wenhua’s name, they immediately published their articles, resulting in a major blunder when the twist was revealed.

This left countless netizens feeling as if they were on a rollercoaster, especially those who had made bold promises about Zhou Ran’s chances of winning. Some people were ecstatic at Chen Wenhua’s apparent victory, thinking they were safe from having to fulfill their vows—because if Zhou Ran took the top prize again, they would have to make good on their word.

While some of these promises were harmless and easy to fulfill, others were outlandish—such as streaking or resigning on the spot. They had spoken in jest, never expecting Zhou Ran to have such a high probability of winning all these awards!